The High School Begins

Our learners were now going to be able to progress from grade 7 into our own high school. Teachers were appointed and our high school began. We also decided to grow the high school one grade at a time so that we could learn as we grew.

On the first day of school in 2006, our first Grade 8 learners looked smart in their new uniforms. Coming from different schools, they were moulded into a strong, unified group through a day of team building that culminated in a massive mud fight. The Lord blessed us with a wonderful group of young people. The high school was up and running.

We Buy a Night Club

Our neighbours, adjacent to the school on the north side, ran a night club with up to 2,000 people attending every weekend. After much prayer, the property was offered for sale, and we purchased it. This was a significant breakthrough, ending disturbances and expanding our facilities.

That same year, Transnet announced plans for a multi-product pipeline passing behind the school. We became coordinators for the area, engaging neighbours and officials to protect our environment and community. Transnet redirected the pipeline from behind the school to run under the road in front of the school. The project was set to be completed in time for the World Cup in 2010.

We also settled our debt with the owner of the high school property we had purchased. Over breakfast, the man we purchased the property from shared how our faithfulness in repaying our debt had led him, his sons, and his daughter to know the Lord. Later, he became an elder in his church. Truly, But God… His plans are bigger than ours.

Pipeline Plans and Provision

Transnet revised its pipeline route as mentioned above, but needed somewhere to drop the excess soil from their excavations. We agreed to let them do so on the high school property on condition that they build a safe drop-off platform for learners at no cost to us. Later they built a second platform for us. These two platforms would become the areas for the new school buildings and our athletics track. The excavations undertaken by Transnet were estimated to be in the region of R 10 million.

That year, another believer made his earth-moving equipment available to level a playing field and create a new access road for us on the previous night club property. Again, the cost to us was only diesel. God’s goodness was evident in every detail.

Construction Begins

Massive machines reshaped the high school property, creating parking, drop-off zones, and safe access roads. Transnet also tarred internal roads at no cost. Three new classrooms were built for Grades 10–12, debt-free. But God… did it all in one year.

World Cup Year & First Matrics

While South Africa celebrated hosting the Soccer World Cup, we celebrated our first matric class. Yes, and they achieved a 100% pass.

The pipeline project brought further blessings: soil deposits extended our field so that we could position a full-size soccer field on the platform, and topsoil exchanges helped us plan a full-size athletics track. By the end, all preparatory work for the high school was complete — at no cost.

Our dream of our high school operating on a separate property was becoming a reality.

Our 25th Anniversary

We celebrated 25 years of God’s faithfulness in 2011. We rejoiced in His provision and acknowledged that He had done far more than we ever could. He was our God, always working behind the scenes, quietly revealing Himself in the most astonishing ways. Every difficult situation we faced, there was always a "but God."

We redesigned our school badge to include a laurel wreath. We also achieved a 100% matric pass.

Government Corruption Frustrates Growth

Now we felt we were ready to start looking to develop the high school property. We had started our Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) in 2008, but our progress was delayed for years due to corruption in the Department.

The school grew steadily in both the primary and the high school. We again achieved a 100% matric pass. Outreaches expanded, including a major event at Elethu Themba High School where 600 learners received clothing and heard the gospel. Provision was abundant — But God…

Struggles and Rewards

This was another year in which we achieved a 100% matric pass. We started taking our learners on outreaches using song and dance to reach other children. One of these outreaches was to Orange Farm. We hired buses and 120 learners ministered in open-air events.

We faced a massive municipal water bill due to estimated readings. The attitude of the municipality was that they would only investigate if the bill was first paid in full. We refused and after a long and protracted process the amount was reversed. We had trusted God and He overcame. There is always a "but God."

Breakthrough Begins

After eight years of delay, GDARD finally authorized us to proceed with municipal approvals. We appointed a Town Planner to take us through the process of obtaining these approvals.

The high school achieved its 6th consecutive 100% matric pass rate. A dedicated high school principal was appointed, separating primary and high school leadership. This was a real milestone.

In the church, a worship band was formed.

The Light Dawns

Together with other churches, we distributed nearly 500 solar jars in Jackson Drift, an informal settlement near us — proclaiming Jesus as the Light of the World.

The school broke through the 400-learner barrier. Bursaries were introduced, including the "Golden Laurel Wreath" bursaries for academics and the "Deon van Schoor Legacy" awards, which recognise learners who are readers.

The eldership began separating church and school facilities, acquiring a new property debt-free. This property, Falcon Crest, would also become our school leadership training facility.

As a church, we also released some of our leaders to Tanzania to assist local churches.

Years of Consolidation

Despite delays in our municipal approvals, the school stabilized at about 400 learners and maintained its 100% matric pass rate.

Highlights during this period included:

• "Calvary’s Got Talent" events.
• Construction of a Futsal soccer court. Supersports helped with coaching.
• We continued our outreaches into Jacksons Drift with blanket drives and soccer support.

We were still busy with the approvals we needed, but the Town Planner was dragging his heels.

COVID Changes Everything

Lockdown forced a shift from classroom teaching to online platforms. This required a major shift in thinking for our learners, but they negotiated the change well. Unfortunately, we lost one primary school learner to COVID. We also purchased two park homes which were converted into classrooms for the high school.

Despite challenges, the school achieved another 100% matric pass rate.

The church adapted to online services, while house churches met via Zoom or in person where possible. Losses during this time were deeply felt, but God sustained His people.

Our 35th Anniversary

We celebrated 35 years of God’s faithfulness. Outreach initiatives included blanket and Easter Egg drives. A high school learner initiated a sanitary pad drive for the matric girls at Elethu Themba. Girls lose about a week, once a month, due to their menstrual cycle. The sanitary pad drive ensures no girl has to miss her matric exams.

Some reflections on our 35th anniversary:

• God is faithful.
• God provides.
• God leads.
• God is not finished with us yet.

Some Things Change But Some Things Don’t

We moved on quickly from the COVID pandemic of 2020/21. We can scarcely remember what it was like during lockdown because time just flew by. We were suddenly propelled into a future where so much was different and yet so much hadn’t changed.

Some learners were finding it difficult to make the transition to online education and didn’t grasp that this was the future of education. Studying online was never the issue but rather the lack of self-discipline, self-motivation, and diligence in studying. Learners needed to embrace the change.

On the other hand, God made people interact socially — this is a basic fact of life. We are social beings. We discover ourselves in our relationships with others. As we left 2022 behind and went into 2023, God gave us wisdom to know what to leave behind and what to take with us into the future.

This was also the year we welcomed Pastor Sandile to the Calvary staff and when the contract between Calvary Christian College and Keswa Construction was signed for the building of the new high school.

A Year of Great Achievement and Great Disappointment

Another year of a 100% IEB pass for our matrics. Our academics continued to be one of our marks of excellence. Our high school Inter Schools Futsal Tournament kicked off and was a massive success.

Keswa Construction began the construction of the high school which was to be completed by the end of the year. Various excuses and bad weather hindered its completion. This meant we had to adjust the completion date to the end of the first term in 2024.

Yet the year was full of things other than school too: a visit to the SAA Technical Center, theatre outings, the geography outing to the Bush Trail in Magaliesberg, the Red Bus tour to Soweto, visits by the SA Institute of Chartered Accountants, and a school camp at the Warthog Inn near Brits.

Our normal activities continued with soccer, netball, public speaking, chess, and the Endemic Science Fair. There was not an activity that Calvary did not excel in. Our God was just so faithful.

The Good Always Outweighs the Bad

Our principal Mrs Potgieter left at the beginning of 2024 and Mr Barkhuizen took over as principal. We were anticipating moving the high school learners into the new high school buildings. In anticipation of this, we appointed Mrs Thomas to lead the primary school.

Sadly, Mr Keswa, the builder, did not finish the construction of the buildings as promised, and the Building Control Section of the municipality closed the site down until all the necessary approvals had been obtained. He had also issued us with various fraudulent approvals. This meant that we would have to start the approval process all over again and lay out money for new surveys and reports.

Some of the good moments:

• We had a great group of leaders and matrics this year. They certainly managed to increase the participation of learners in our various school activities. This was when the chant of "Pride, Passion and Participation" rang out.
• We achieved remarkable results in various Olympiads; certain learners came within the top candidates on a district level or won the Olympiads.
• Our outreaches to St Mary’s Home, the Randvaal Old Age Home, and the Door of Hope created compassion in our learners. We also collected cans of food for the men living in shelters behind the Booysens courts and for the Family Care Ministry.
• Our annual pad drive for Elethu Themba High School continued.
• Our second Endemic Science Fair was a massive success, drawing participation from 12 schools.
• Our second Inter High School Futsal Tournament and first Inter Primary School Futsal Tournament were huge successes.
• We extended our leadership training to include grade 9’s, making Calvary uniquely positioned to offer a stable leadership base for prefects, monitors, and guardians.
• Our matrics added to our proud tradition by obtaining a 100% IEB pass rate for the past 15 years.

We Keep Moving Forward

It is a challenge attempting to describe our culture at Calvary Christian College, but the best description is that we cultivate a Christocentric, leadership, and values-driven environment for our learners. The backbone of this has always been our vision, our mission, and our pledge. Onto this, we have built a strong leadership training program, academic excellence, and firm discipline.

We had to call for new studies to be done on the high school property. The process is expensive and time-consuming, but we are on the way again.

The district we belong to started using the hill behind the new high school for cross country events. We hosted 4 inter high events and for a school participating for the first time, we did really well. Our first team soccer boys started to play home and away fixtures with the Rustenberg Educational College.

We had an outstanding group of prefects this year, and our matrics achieved a 100% IEB pass again. We press on forward knowing there is a "but God" around the corner if we remain focused and faithful.

Our 40th Year of Developing Future Leaders of Integrity

This year certainly started off with many new initiatives:

• The decision was made to move the entire primary school to the Independent Examination Board (IEB) for its assessments.
• We redesigned all the badges for the primary and high schools, which were well received by all.
• The primary school now wears blazers from grade 4 onwards.
• We took the grade 7’s down to primary school again and aligned the school with other public and private schools.
• Mr Barkhuizen, our principal, introduced new lapel shields as leadership badges and pins for other activities, instilling a more intense competitive environment.
• Four of the district inter high school cross country events have once again taken place at Calvary. We hosted 17 schools for the first event, and our junior boys finished first on the log.
• We have just finished resurfacing our school netball court and will tackle the high school netball court soon.